Adventure Africa Holidays is a specialist tour operator with
its office headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya but operating
throughout East Africa. We offer Safaris to Chyulu Hills National Park, Kenya Chyulu Hills National Reserve, Kenya Chyulu Hills Park, Chyulu Hills Safaris.

Kakamega
Forest National Reserve, Kenya
Kakamega National Reserve Background Information:
Kakamega Forest covers an area of about 240km square and was
established to protect the only mid altitude tropical
rainforest in Kenya, a remnant and eastern limit of
rainforests of Zaire and West Africa affinities are unique in
Kenya and the forest contains many species found nowhere else
in the country. The forest lies in the Lake Victoria catchment,
about 50km north of Kisumu and just West of the Nandi
Escarpment that forms the edge of the central highlands. It
was first gazetted as a trust forest in 1933 and two small
Nature reserves, Yala and lsecheno were established within the
forest in 1967.In 1985, nearly 4400ha of the northern portion of the
forest together with the adjacent Kisere Forest were
gazetted as Kakamega Forest National Reserve. The forest
is an important water catchment area with the lsiukhu
and Yala Rivers flowing through it. The terrain is
undulating with often steep sided river valleys.

The Kenya Wildlife Service welcomes you to Kakamega
Forest National Reserve. In our efforts to maintain and
preserve wildlife diversity, the importance of
preserving a fragile ecosystem like forests cannot be
overstated. With their unique flora and fauna, forests
are important resource reserve for genetic banks, the
medicine industry, nutrient recycling and C02
sequestation. The loss of such systems would therefore
be a great loss to humanity. With this in mind we have
put concerted efforts towards preservation of this
unique ecosystem. It is our hope that apart from its
aesthetic value, its life supporting values will be
understood and highly appreciated now and in the future.

Therefore, as you walk along the trails, as you observe
the unique and beautiful vegetation, as you walk along
the riverside, remember you can and are contributing to
the conservation of this important ecosystem. We hope
that you will visit again and again for fun, leisure and
educative purposes.

Kakamega National
Reserve
Climate:
Annual rainfall is over 2000mm. Most of this rain falls
between April and November with a short dry season from
December to March. Rain falls mostly in the afternoon or
early evening and is often accompanied by heavy
thunderstorms. Average temperatures remain similar
throughout - between 15oC and 28oC.

Kakamega National
Reserve
Features:
Kakamega Forest National Reserve is a walk through park.
With its unique flora and fauna that are highly adapted
to the forest ecosystem while you time away, tour guided
or self guided nature walks, night walks, bird,
butterfly and primate watching, camping and picnicking
will keep you glued to this beautiful haven. The
national reserve comprises of both Kisere and Buyangu
Reserves for a total of 44.399km2. The Reserve is under
strict protection management.

Being the only remnant in Kenya of the unique
Guineo-Congolian forest ecosystem, the park offers
unique wildlife and scenic beauty. The falls along the
River Isiukhu and the riverine atmosphere along the
Isiukhu river trail make you feel relaxed on the trail.
Buyangu viewpoint gives a quick bird eye-view of the
forest canopy. At the picnic site you can sit back and
relax under the grass-thatched rest house while watching
water birds at the waterpoint… binoculars are a must
carry here.

Kakamega National
Reserve
Location:
Kakamega Forest National Reserve is located in Western
Kenya: 15km from Kakamega town along the
Kakamega-Eldoret Highway. Access is through the Buyangu
gate, which is 600m off the main road. With public
transport, visitors can alight at Kambiri junction.
Local community cyclists popularly known as “boda boda”
offer transport from the junction to the park. If
visiting in personal transport, be on the look out for a
signpost after 15km from Kakamega town on the highway.

Kakamega National
Reserve What to carry:Remember this is a tropical rainforest and
visitors should be prepared for any sort of weather
condition… but for visitors from Europe, it's not cold
in any comparison. Remember also to carry guide books
(mammal, bird and butterfly) - some available at the
gate house, - insect repellant to keep away insects but
not to hate them, a pair of binoculars and for the
memories a zoom camera. Don't forget the tents if you
will put up overnight or better still spend in our cosy
bandas.

Kakamega National
Reserve
Wildlife:
For bird and butterfly watchers, this is the place of
choice for you. Being such a food rich reserve habitat,
the park supports over 300 bird species, over 350
species of trees, 27 species of snakes… our snakes are
friendly given the wet nature of the forest throughout
the year... no history of snake bites since the park
started 20 years ago. The forest is also home to over
400 species of butterflies (about 45% of all recorded
butterflies in Kenya), reptiles, mollusks and 7 primate
species.

With that sort of biodiversity you surely cannot be
bored once in the forest. The endangered Turner's
eremomela, Charpins flycatcher and the voice mimicking
African grey parrot are also found here. The forest is
also home to the endangered DeBrazza monkey found at the
isolated Kisere Forest Reserve, which is part of the
larger Kakamega Forest National Reserve. The majestic
black and white colobus monkey alongside flying
squirrels, blue monkey and potto (the world's slowest
mammal on earth), are among the attractions. Forest
bucks, duikers and dik diks are found in this equatorial
rain forest.

Kakamega National
Reserve
Vegetation:
As a result of the conservation efforts, the forest
holds mostly indigenous vegetation. Here you will find
the precious Elgon teak, much prized for its hard wood,
the stranglers (ficus thoningii) which grow from other
trees and eventually strangle the hosts to death, and
mkombero, a popular affrodiasc. Large age-old trees are
in plenty and found particularly in Kisere forest as a
result of early efforts in conservation.

Kakamega National
Reserve
Guides:
This is a region with a rich culture and history. It is
advisable to take the community tour guides based at KWS
offices that have a wealth of information passed on
through generations to share. The nature trails are also
labeled for easy self-guiding.

Kakamega National
Reserve
Where to stay:
The forest reserve offers a serene atmosphere for both
campers and banda accommodation visitors. The Reserve
has 6 simple chalets constructed in the local Isukha
community tradition and offer cosy accommodation to a
maximum of 14 pax. The facility is also ideal for family
as one of the bandas has 4 beds while the rest have 2
beds each.

For the more adventurous visitors, camping can never be
wilder here. With guaranteed round the clock security,
every second would be worth your money. Please note
that, new self-catering luxurious bandas will be in
place before end of the year.

Other accommodation facilities in Kakamega Town and the
southern end of the forest include, Golf Hotel, Golden
Inn, Sheywe Guest House, Rondo Retreat and lsecheno
Guest House.